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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · root · sharp · wax · wave · pass · tear · land

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. tear — from crying
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. root — of a word
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wax — to grow
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com